


The Writer

by Hikari_and_Yami



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Blindshipping, Canon Divergence, M/M, Puzzle-June2019, Puzzleshipping, a dash of angst, and a sprinkle of fluff, because screw that ending, its a lot of both, loljk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-04-06 06:51:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 15,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19057435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hikari_and_Yami/pseuds/Hikari_and_Yami
Summary: Atem plays a game with the god of the dead in hopes of reuniting with the partner he left behind. But there's a caveat.He doesn't know the rules.





	1. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A tumblr user mentioned that most of my work is centered around AUs, so I figured I'd try something different with Puzzle-June upon us. So, this fic takes place following the conclusion of the anime (before DSOD). The chapters will be short as I will be attempting to write one everyday for 31 days. Oh, boy, wish me luck! #butnohalpme

"You are testing my last shred of patience, god-king."

When Atem had first walked through the doors to the _Duat_ , there was no way for him to know that he would be spending more time before _Anpu_  than he would be in actual paradise. 

 _Anpu_ did not seem to expect such a deviation in his routine either. His days used to revolve solely around guarding the sacred scales and leading those deemed worthy of passage to the _Duat._

Now his days involved that -  _and_  rather frequent visits from a troubled Pharaoh. 

The god of the dead appeared before Atem this time as a man, larger in size than most, but still a man with wild black hair and swarthy skin, nearly burnt in it's tawny shades. When he looked down at Atem from a chair made of large stones, it was with dark eyes. "Why do you fret, Great Pharaoh, when nothing but peace has greeted you since your arrival into the  _Duat?"_

"Many wonderful things have greeted me since I have come here," Atem spoke in steady tones, without hesitance. "Unfortunately, peace has not been one of them."

"I see that your soul remains restless." _Anpu_ observed. He twisted his large frame to lay himself over the width of his chair, the base of his head lowering to rest against one of the stone armrest, while his legs dangled off the other. The shendyt he donned hiked up his bronze thighs. "You believe your peace resides with the human who remains in the realm of the living?"

The muscles of Atem's slender frame were perfectly still as he spoke. "I do,  _tpy-ḏw.f._ "

"Are you so willing to trade away the promise of harmony for the uncertainty and pain that awaits you if you were to return?"

Atem remained expressionless. "I suppose that is all a matter of one's perspective," he replied. 

The god graced him with a laugh, his hands overlapped on his stomach. "Yes, it seems that despair still lingers on in your heart, despite being welcomed here with open arms. You are still tormented by your choices and wish to set things right. You've come here, _again_ , requesting to be reunited with your partner. "

The lines in Atem's face were tense when he nodded. "That is so, _jmy-wt,_ " he said. 

"And yet," _Anpu_ appeared nearly distracted as he peered up at the tall gray ceilings above him, "I find that I have little interest in your petty troubles, Pharaoh. You see, I have fulfilled my duty. Your heart was weighed against _Ma'at_ , and your soul was spared from ' _m-mwt_." The god exhaled, before sliding his eyes down to meet Atem's unyielding gaze. "This mortal is irrelevant now."

For the first time since he'd arrived, Atem dropped his eyes from the god to the cracked tile-stone beneath his feet. "There are no words that you, or any god for that matter, could utter that would convince me of that. Our bond is a matter of fate. I cannot envision an existence that does not include him in it."

"Do you think he could?"

Atem returned his gaze to the god before him. "Come again?" he asked. 

Out of all things, _Anpu_ grinned at him. "Do you think his soul would love yours, no matter the timeline or version of reality? That his heart would agree that you are both fated to be?"

Atem thought over the question, though the endeavor did not take long. The bond they shared, the one they built and nurtured and cherished, ran deep - deeper than the Nile, and it extended across shared skies and galaxies and lifetimes. Yet, the most vulnerable, beautiful part of it remained untouched for, at the time, there was simply too much at stake.

It was his sole regret - one that consumed his every moment, one that he could not move past.

But Yuugi was his partner, would be in this life and all those that followed. Even after discovering his name and reclaiming his memories and identity, he would always consider Yuugi his other half. 

And he simply couldn't imagine that Yuugi didn't feel the same pull of fate as he. 

Atem inclined his chin towards the awaiting god. "I do," he intoned, his conviction audible. 

As soon as the words left his mouth, _Anpu's_ smile morphed into that of a jackal, and the God's jaw unhinged as he asked, "Would you wager your place in paradise on it?" 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anpu (or Inpu) - What Anubis was known by prior to the Greeks arriving in Egypt around the 7th century B.C. Anubis is the Greek rendition of Anpu. 
> 
> Duat - the underworld/realm of the dead 
> 
> tpy-ḏw.f - He who is upon his mountain
> 
> jmy-wt - He who is in the place of embalming 
> 
> 'm-mwt - devourer of the dead (Ammit/Ammut)
> 
> I did some research for this fic, but it's more of a fun project for me, so try not to over-stress if you spot a historical inaccuracy with names/timeline. This is purely for enjoyment purposes, not a history lesson. #becauseimbadathistory


	2. Resurrection

He didn't know where he was, and he wished he could say it was all a blur, but it wasn't.

One second he was standing before _Anpu_ , bargaining with a god no soul should be bargaining with. 

The next, he was here.

In what appeared to be a small studio apartment with peeling, bare walls and old wood flooring. 

Atem sat up in the bed he had awoken in, and the stiff mattress underneath him creaked with the shifting weight. He swung his legs over the edge of the frame, his bare feet touching the cool floor, and he glanced down at the clothes he didn't remember putting on - a long grey sweater and faded jeans. Very different from the traditional garb he wore in the _Duat._  

He should've felt disoriented, but he didn't. His mind was clear and lucid, despite not knowing how he ended up here. 

With a push off the mattress, he stood from the bed and immediately noticed how heavy he felt. The body he had in this room was not the light, weightless form he was used to walking around in the afterlife with, and he had to consciously straighten his spine when he realized he was slouching due to this unexpected new weight. Once adjusted, he brought his hands out in front of him, palms open. He curled his fingers inward, making loose fists, and then opened them again. He paused and lowered his arms. 

He moved his legs next, walking forward until he reached the tiny closet of a bathroom. The mirror hanging over the dingy sink was smudged and opaque, but he could see the pair of scarlet eyes looking back at him quite clearly, the halo of raven and gold that was signature to his hairstyle sitting untidy on his head. Leaning forward, he lifted a hand and ran his fingers over his tawny cheek. 

He was warm. 

He was _alive_. 

He was... 

_\- where was he?_

Atem returned to the main room with more urgency than he had left it, his eyes honing in on the only window in the room -  a tiny little thing that didn't open, but Atem didn't really care about that. 

Approaching the small window, he peered outside of it and realized that whatever building he was in, he was on the ground floor of it.

By the position of the sun, it appeared to be evening. The clouds were flushed with soft oranges and pinks, signaling the sun's imminent departure. The sidewalks were wet and, based on his observations, it seemed that a storm had just passed. 

He paid little attention to those details though, as he had only one thought, or _person_ , at the forefront of mind. Atem immediately searched for a landmark, a street sign, something familiar, something that could clue him in to where - 

The sound of a nearby train interrupted him, and he could feel the slight vibrations under his toes as the train rumbled nearby.  

Refocusing on his outside surroundings, he spotted a sign for the nearest station. 

His heart skipped a beat - 

_\- because he recognized it._

And not five seconds later, he was running. 

Right out the door, fumbling in his attempt to walk and put on the pair of sneakers he found by the worn welcome mat at the same time. 

Finding his stride, he picked up his pace, dashing around corners and down familiar streets, ignoring the indignant cries of pedestrians that happened to be in his way only to get a slight bump or shove for their efforts. Puddles splashed under his feet, as he continued to run with haste - he did not slow, not even when his heart began to pound rapidly in his chest; not even when he found himself momentarily overwhelmed that he could actually _feel_ his heart thumping underneath layers of skin and muscles and bone, because it had been so long since he could feel such things.

But he pushed those feelings aside for the time being, focused instead on his breathing that was becoming increasingly shallow. He felt light-headed and knew he needed to slow his pace, but he also knew that he would run the risk of passing out for the sake of arriving to his destination even a minute sooner.

He simply could not delay this, could not continue on without his partner sharing the same space again.  

He also had no idea how long had passed since the Ceremonial Duel. He supposed he hadn't really taken the time to consider the details of his return to this realm nor did he really even care about them in this moment. That part would come later, he was sure. 

But for now - 

Atem came up on the familiar block, the same path he had watched Yuugi walk so many times before on his way to school from the inside of the puzzle. He was sprinting so fast at that point that he nearly ran past the Kame Game Shop. 

With more intensity than was necessary, he threw the glass door to the shop open. Only then did he stop. 

Everything stopped, in fact.

The heart in his chest, the breath in his lungs, the thoughts in his head. 

Because there before him, looking every bit the part of bewildered, was his _aibou_ , his partner, Yuugi _-_ who was apparently also struck into a sudden stillness as he stood there, lingering behind the front counter, watching him with those bright eyes that haunted Atem's every moment in the _Duat._  

Even in Atem's disbelieving state, there were differences in Yuugi's appearance that his mind immediately registered. The other was taller, slimmer, like someone had stretched him out over the years. His hair was longer, too, the butter blond of his bangs curling around his more defined cheekbones.

His eyes though - they were the same. They were the one thing, Atem knew, that age or destiny or gods could not alter. They lit up with the same intensity of all the lights in the city and shined like they held the answers to all of life's greatest questions.

And they were looking directly at him, into his soul, with a hint of wonder, an abundance of surprise, and a spark of awe. 

Yuugi was the first of them to move, but it was slight - just a shudder of his frame as he took in a deep breath. 

Then, he flashed Atem a wonderful smile - and Atem would've run to him, would've embraced him so and imparted onto him his sincerest apologies, along with his deepest shame and regret for leaving him behind. He would've promised Yuugi the world and his entire heart and even more if the other just asked for it. 

But he didn't do any of those things, because he was frozen still - unable to move when Yuugi smiled that beautiful smile and said to him,

"Welcome to the Kame Game Shop. How can I help you?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for the positive feedback for the first chapter. this will be quite the challenge for me this month and we'll see how this all turns out in the end, but i hope you guys enjoy the ride!


	3. Eternal

It took four minutes - an agonizing two hundred and forty seconds - for Atem to know for sure; to confirm with absolute certainty that Yuugi, the light of his world, hadn't the faintest clue of who he was. 

Atem stammered over his words in an apology to his startled partner, who was still recovering from having an essential stranger burst through his shop doors like the world outside was on fire.

Pain was like a rusty blade at Atem's heart as he spoke to the man he had spent so long trying to come back to... only for Yuugi not to remember him.

Atem's only solace was that this lapse in memory was clearly not of Yuugi's own doing, and though he still wanted to run, right into Yuugi's arms to bury his face into the fabric of his shirt and will him to remember, Atem needed first to take a step back and figure out what sort of alternate universe he had stumbled into. 

Or, more accurately, had been thrown into. 

It broke his heart into fragments, some sharp and excruciating, others dull and lingering, to leave the Game Shop; to leave Yuugi standing there, blinking after him in confusion.

However, the simple fact of the matter was that he could not think straight when his partner was in such close proximity, and he _needed_ to think right now. 

And so, he walked out - walked and wandered until he somehow found his way back on the very doorstep he had sprinted from shortly after waking; back to the tiny, bare studio apartment with the makeshift kitchenette and single person cot someone tried to pass off as a bed. With an exhale that nearly hurt, he sunk down onto the unyielding mattress, his head in his hands. 

He didn't even know if he was supposed to be here, if this was meant to be his room or not, but he figured he'd stay until someone told him otherwise. It's not like he really had anywhere else to go for the time being.   

Atem sighed and lowered his arms to rest on his thighs. He leaned forward, his hands dangling in the void between his knees, and retreated into his thoughts. He was grateful for it; the ache in his bones was less pronounced there.  

Atem considered first and foremost that even _Anpu_ , in all his glorious mischievousness, was fair. 

The god would not dump Atem into this manipulated version of reality if it were not for a purpose - a trial of sorts. A test to prove... 

\- to prove what exactly?

_"Do you think he could?"_

_Anpu's_ question swept over all of his other thoughts like a teasing caress. 

Ah. 

That was it, then. 

Atem had bet his place in the _Duat_ that his bond with Yuugi, that their very hearts and souls, were woven together by fate, and thus impervious to outside forces and external factors. 

So this was what  _Anpu_ meant when he asked Atem whether he'd wager this belief as a universal truth.

The god wanted him to prove that their bond was as everlasting as he claimed; that it could be stretched from here to eternity; that the time and place and circumstances were truly as irrelevant as Atem had implied; and that Yuugi's heart would always be drawn to his, regardless of their shared history.  

And to level the playing field, _Anpu_  wiped Yuugi's memory of him.

Atem was meant to work off a clean slate, from scratch. 

Atem chuckled humorlessly, as he imagined _Anpu_  watching him with his omnipotent grin.

He could almost hear the god's voice in his head, as silent words scribbled across his mind. 

_Game Start._

 


	4. Ceremony

Atem didn't really have a plan - at least, not a well-thought out one.

After searching the extent of the studio apartment that he had eventually concluded was his, Atem found about a week's worth of food in the fridge and a small dresser filled with an assortment of random clothes that appeared to be in his size. He didn't have any identification or money, it seemed, but he supposed he should be grateful that _Anpu_ didn't drop him in this world homeless, naked, and hungry. He'd have to figure out a long-term solution for his predicament at some point soon, he knew.

For now though, he only had one goal in mind. 

"Welcome to the Kame G - " Atem watched as Yuugi's eyes lifted from the stack of invoices behind the register to meet his gaze, the shopkeeper cutting his obligatory greeting short. "Oh," Yuugi murmured, a surprised edge to his voice. "It's you."

Atem really ought to have thought this through more. "Hey," he started out quietly. "Uh, so, I just wanted to stop by to apologize again for barging into your store yesterday," Atem said. "I... thought I saw an old friend come in here... and I was just trying to find him."

Yuugi put aside the papers on the counter, then angled himself to fully face Atem. "Did you find him?" he queried. 

"What?"

The smile pulling at Yuugi's lips was kind. "Your friend," he clarified. "Did you find him?"

Atem's heart skipped a few beats, as he found himself swept away in the comfort and familiarity that came with being in his partner's presence. "I did," he said softly, returning Yuugi's smile with a small one of his own. 

There was something in Yuugi's eyes then; he almost looked charmed and, however inappropriate the timing, Atem imagined what it would've been like to reach out and touch Yuugi, to run his fingers down his jaw and through his downy curls.

He didn't know what Yuugi had been thinking in the quiet that stretched on between them, but whatever had enchanted the shopkeeper seemed to be dismissed just as quickly when Yuugi coughed into his hand, his cheeks bright with a pinkish hue. "Uh, well, I'm glad you found him. And don't worry about yesterday. You didn't have to come all the way here just to apologize again."

Atem shrugged, lingering on by the entryway. "It's not a problem. I don't live too far from here," he offered. "And... I guess I also came in to ask you something...?"

Yuugi's features brightened with intrigue. "Oh?" 

"I... well, you see, I was hoping... that I, uh... " This shouldn't have been as hard as it was turning out to be. Atem had faced much more challenging and trying times in the past. He had sacrificed his very life for his people, had spent thousands of years cursed to dark prison, and had faced monsters and ghouls and the threat of earth's impending demise more times than he cared to count. But for some reason, asking Yuugi to spend time with him in a romantic context was taking more effort than all those trials combined. "I'm sort of new to the area, and I thought... if you were free, maybe tomorrow, you'd care to join me and maybe show me around a bit...?"

There was a bemused pause from Yuugi's side of the shop, and the room was only further quieted by Atem's impulse to hold his breath as he awaited a response. It took a moment for Yuugi to really understand what he was asking of him, the man's violet eyes narrowed in thought. It was only when his intentions became clear that Yuugi's entire face flushed in comprehension. "Oh, you're asking me out on a date?" he said.  

Atem bit the inside of his cheek, his hands stuffed in his jean's front pockets. He rocked back and forth on his heels. "Yes, I suppose I am," he admitted. "What do you say?"

There was another beat of silence and, the next thing Atem knew, Yuugi was shaking his head. Atem could feel himself deflating at the motion. "Sorry," Yuugi said to him. He leaned forward, his elbows and forearms coming to rest of the glass counter as he gazed at Atem across the small space between them. "I only go on dates with people if I know their names." 

There was a playful glint in Yuugi's eyes, amusement clear as day on his face - and the look immediately jump-started Atem's previously flat-lining heart.

"Oh! Sorry, yes, I guess you would want to know that." Atem audibly winced the moment the words left his mouth. "Can you tell that I don't do this often?"

"Yeah," Yuugi chuckled, and his muffled laughter was like tiny bells, "but it's really sweet."

Yuugi straightened himself again, pushing off the glass, and then reached one hand out across the counter. "I'm Yuugi," he introduced. 

Atem glanced down at the hand waiting for his. He hesitated.

Then, he walked forward, closing the distance between them, and took Yuugi's hand with one of his own. It was the first time he had touched Yuugi - had actually been able to _touch_ him since the Ceremonial Duel, and Atem's eyes grew hot. He blinked a few times and tried to ignore the sting. "I'm Atem," he said. He reluctantly let Yuugi's hand go when proper etiquette demanded it. 

"Nice to officially meet you, Atem," Yuugi said, still smiling at him. This was the man, his very partner, Atem knew, who encompassed all the radiance in this world. "So," the shopkeeper continued, oblivious to Atem's thoughts, "where did you want to go tomorrow?"


	5. Prayer

At Atem's request, they kept it simple - a casual stroll around the main plaza downtown, the outskirts of which lined the city's largest public park. 

Throughout the afternoon, Yuugi pointed out buildings and landmarks that, unbeknownst to him, Atem had seen hundreds of times before during his years spent captive as the spirit of the puzzle. This was the first time, however, that he had truly observed these structures without being preoccupied - whether by potential threats lurking around the corner or by someone abruptly challenging him to a duel.

Though once common occurrences, Atem could safely say that those were the last things on his mind today. 

Today, it was only about the sun shining - and Yuugi. 

After they had window-shopped and Yuugi had shown him all the things in downtown that he considered significant, they made their way into the park, down a pathway where joggers and the occasional biker passed them.

Despite Atem's insistence that he didn't need anything to snack on, when Yuugi had returned to him after ducking out of sight for a minute, he had come back with _two_ ice cream cups that he had purchased from a nearby street vendor. He presented one of them to Atem with a brilliant smile. 

It was like a slow healing salve to Atem's heart to behold Yuugi; to witness that his partner was as magnetic and selfless as he remembered. It also provided him with a small peace to see that, even without the ability to recall their time together, Yuugi had still turned out to be a strong, confident, charismatic young man. During their years together, Yuugi had always credited these qualities as ones that existed only because of Atem's presence in his life. Witnessing Yuugi as he was now though proved to Atem what he had known all along - that these qualities had always been inside of Yuugi, and that he had simply helped show them to his partner sooner.  

After accepting the ice cream Yuugi had bought for him, his partner shot him a small smile and gestured for them to keep walking, before picking back up the conversation from where he had left off. 

Atem listened to him talk, let the dulcet tones of his voice wash over him, and it was like... his prayers were finally being answered after years of kneeling and imploring any god who would listen.

"So, from what it sounds like, you used to be kind of a big deal?"

Yuugi rolled his eyes at Atem's playful banter, his lips pursing to smother a smile. "Sure, I guess you could say that," Yuugi obliged. He spooned a small scoop of vanilla ice cream into his mouth. "Really, I just liked card games, and I was very good at this particular one."

Atem hummed, and his gaze fell upon a bench that overlooked a small pond, only partially obscured by an assortment of cherry trees. He nodded towards the painted wooden bench, and Yuugi seemed thrilled at the idea of sitting after two hours of wandering around downtown.

With a relieved sigh, Yuugi settled down next to him, a vision of perfection and beauty, and it was only then that Atem felt the first tremors of anxiety begin the snake through his veins. 

It was odd.

He had always been so comfortable around his partner, so at peace with Yuugi - never had there been any awkwardness or uneasiness between them like this. But then again, this was the first occasion where the time they were spending together didn't carry with it solely platonic intentions. This time there were no rules, no implicit agreements between them to bury their feelings and not speak of them out loud. Yuugi having no memory of their history together certainly didn't help matters much. 

Still, Atem couldn't help but find a small sliver of humor in the current situation. He could stare down the god of the dead, no problem, but sitting this close to Yuugi on a park bench was apparently beyond his capacity. 

"Why'd you stop?"

"Huh?"

"Playing Duel Monsters," Atem reminded him. He buried his plastic spoon into his small mound of ice cream and brought it to his lips, pausing for a second to ask again. "Why'd you stop?"

Yuugi peered down at his own ice cream, the lines in his face tightening in thought. "You know, I'm not actually sure," he answered honestly. "I just woke up one day, and it didn't feel the same. So, I gave up my title and moved on and... I can't say that I regret it. Besides, I like helping out in the shop - and it helps pay for classes. College tuition is not cheap, y'know."

Atem chuckled, and Yuugi glanced up to him, his eyes sparkling as though he truly enjoyed the sound of his laugh. 

"So, where are you from?" 

"Hm?"

"You said you were new to the area," Yuugi said with a small lift of a brow. "Where from?"

"Oh." Atem shifted his gaze back to his dessert. "You probably have never heard of it. It's a... tiny place, quite far from here. It's rather beautiful, though - lots of sun and sands." He shrugged. "It's own little paradise, you could say."

"That sounds really nice." Yuugi didn't push the subject any further, as if sensing Atem's reluctance to get into too much detail about it. He placed his paper cup, now void of any ice cream, on the edge of the bench to throw away later and angled himself to face Atem, one leg coming to lay on the bench, bent at the knee. "Hard to believe you left all that to come here," Yuugi continued after readjusting. "You know Domino is pretty temperate? It can be awfully rainy some months, too."

Whether consciously or not, Atem mimicked Yuugi's movements, until they were both facing each other on the bench. "That's alright," Atem said with a quieter voice than before. He met Yuugi's eyes. "Besides... I'm really starting to like it here."

Yuugi's lips curled, and Atem could see a bit of color at the very tips of his ears. "I'm glad," Yuugi said, matching Atem's hushed tones. 

It was so damn difficult for Atem not to be pulled in by Yuugi's warmth. He itched to touch him again, but he also knew he needed to pace himself. He didn't want to scare his partner away and wasn't sure how receptive Yuugi would be to the whole 'resurrection and destined love' thing he had going on.

But then again, there Yuugi was in front of him, looking at him with those bluish violet irises - and suddenly Atem cared very little for the rules of conduct.

With a silent breath, Atem lifted a hand and brushed his fingers over Yuugi's, which had been resting on the bench in the small space between them. It was a fleeting touch, just a sweep of his fingertips across Yuugi's knuckles and though he could feel Yuugi tense slightly at the contact, his partner did not pull away. 

There was a rosy flush to Yuugi's face, and Atem smiled at him, before retracting his hand. "I'm glad I'm here, too," he said. 


	6. Transformation

Though Atem wouldn't go as far as to say that Yuugi had changed or had in any way diverged from the core essence of who he was, there were definitely some differences that Atem had observed in his partner within the last few days. Atem would argue that the most noticeable shift could be found in Yuugi's eyes.

It wasn't even that they had looked all that different, though they were definitely sharper and less rounded at the edges than before, but rather Atem would say that it had more to do with what was inside of them. They held a certain wisdom to them now - one that had replaced the naivety that Atem had laid witness to in lifetimes past.

Atem registered that, overall, Yuugi simply seemed more keen; more perceptive to his surroundings and to other's intentions - and because of this, Yuugi presented as much older than the twenty year-old he actually was. 

"You didn't have to do all this for me," Yuugi said, but there was no concealing his grin of delighted surprise.

They sat on stools in the game shop, across the glass counter from each other, sharing a light lunch that Atem had managed to scrape up in his kitchenette for the both of them. Prior to getting settled, Yuugi had turned over the 'out for lunch' sign hanging on the front door, then locked it to prevent any interruptions.

"It really didn't take too much work on my part," Atem replied, scanning the spread of miso soup and bread cluttering the counter space. He peered across at Yuugi with an amused smirk. "Besides, based on our conversation yesterday, your work and class schedule is pretty hectic, and you're way too handsome to faint because you skipped a meal."

There was a light humor littering Yuugi's gaze, and a dab of color on the bridge of his nose. "I bet you say that to all the shopkeepers," he quipped.  

"Just the really attractive ones."

Atem's shoulder was pushed back lightly in a playful shove, Yuugi's mouth parting in a scoff. Atem laughed at his feigned offense. 

Trying to hide his own smile, Yuugi glanced down at the remainder of his soup. He paused for a second. Then, "You know, even though it's only been a few days since we met, I feel like... I don't know, like we've known each other for a while now. It's just... easy, I guess, being around you... and talking to you." He glanced up at Atem, a touch of uncertainty in his gaze. "Is that weird?"

Atem had a hard time maintaining eye contact with him - with the man who he loved endlessly but still had no memory of him.

But he did so, just so that Yuugi would know he was being completely sincere when he said with a small smile, "Not at all."


	7. Magic

If Yuugi had any personal feelings on whether seeing Atem on a daily basis went against the societal norms of 'getting to know someone', he certainly didn't vocalize it. 

Quite the opposite, Yuugi seemed to be thoroughly enjoying Atem's presence in his life, abrupt as it was, and Atem could only count his blessings that Yuugi had welcomed him so openly.  

Prior to entering the _Duat_ , it was the magic of the puzzle that had kept them so intertwined and utter constants in each other's lives.

But it appeared that neither of them needed to rely on such magic to remain enmeshed with one another. Even without it, they sought out each other's presence, because it was both familiar and comforting. It was safe, and it was home. 

The chemistry between them was unparalleled - in any context, platonic or romantic, it didn't really matter. Their souls were simply content to co-exist.

Atem knew this as fact, but he could tell that it all came as a surprise to Yuugi, who couldn't quite figure out why he was drawn to Atem in such an ardent way. 

His partner said as much as they sat together, on that same park bench, overlooking the pond. The impending sunset made the water's surface glisten like diamonds. 

"You know, when you're deep in thought, your nose scrunches like a rabbit," Atem said to him. 

"No, it doesn't," Yuugi retorted, his musings interrupted. He paused. "...Does it, really? How does anyone ever take me seriously then?"

"I take you seriously."

His gaze still on the pond, Atem hadn't been looking at Yuugi when he'd spoken these words with earnest. Therefore, he felt more than saw Yuugi shift closer to him on the bench. 

When he turned his head, he was met with Yuugi's smile. He watched on, enchanted, as a light breeze ruffled through Yuugi's dark hair, making his bangs dance over his pale forehead and cheekbones. 

Despite his urge to tame the messy strands, he didn't reach out to do so. Rather, it was Yuugi who reached out to him - to tuck a rogue golden lock of hair behind his ear.

Yuugi didn't seem to register the intimate nature of his touch until Atem leaned into it and exhaled a shaky breath. The former spirit met Yuugi's eyes and relayed to him, without words, how much he cherished the closeness. 

"...it's okay, you know," Yuugi whispered into the space between them, and Atem immediately knew what Yuugi meant. 

And though he wanted nothing more than to close the final bit of distance between them, it felt... wrong somehow; like he was taking advantage of a situation he didn't ask to be a part of. He didn't feel like it was fair that Yuugi was still in the dark about their previous relationship, but he also honestly didn't believe any good could come from telling him now. 

These thoughts made him hesitate but still, he could not fully resist Yuugi's gentle coaxing. 

With a small inclination of his head, Atem pressed his lips to Yuugi's soft cheek. He felt Yuugi's eyes flutter close at the touch, his long eyelashes brushing over Atem's skin.

Atem lingered for a moment, his heart torn between reveling in Yuugi's receptiveness of his affection, and also with the feeling of grief for his partner's stolen memories of him _._

When he finally pulled away from Yuugi, Atem found himself at a loss for words. 

Fortunately for him, Yuugi didn't seem to need them.

His partner simply went about re-positioning himself on the bench until his head was resting against Atem's shoulder. Then, those amethyst eyes returned to the scenery in front of them.

They spoke very little after that, both lost to their separate thoughts.

But the quiet comfort that came with being close to one another was enough to make the silence between them a peaceful one. 


	8. Blind Faith

The only thing harder to cope with than the realization that Yuugi didn't remember him was the realization that _nobody_ did. 

He supposed it made sense, really - it wouldn't have been logical for everyone else in this alternate reality to remember him  _except_  for Yuugi.

But Atem also hadn't really given it much thought, focused as he was on rebuilding and nurturing his bond with Yuugi.

It didn't all really click for him until Yuugi had invited him over Saturday night to meet his friends... _their_ friends. 

And then, just like that, there they were in Yuugi's living room - Jounouchi, Honda, Anzu... 

All slightly grown-up versions of the teens he remembered. 

They looked at him with no recollection in their gazes. Gone from their memories were the years of friendship and laughter, of trials and victories, of heartaches and confusion. 

Someone might as well have stabbed him in his chest when Jounouchi reached out a hand towards him and introduced himself. 

Despite the heaviness that weighed on his heart, Atem refused to let his emotions get in the way of the progress he had been making with Yuugi. He could tell just by looking at him that his partner was overjoyed to see him mingling with his friends - people he knew his partner considered family.

So, Atem fit on a mask for the night and tried to remain unmoved by being in the company of people he had also considered family. 

And when things became too much, he'd excuse himself to the bathroom to dry his eyes in private. 

It was when he had exited the restroom for the second time that night that he found Jounouchi waiting for him out in the hall.

"Hey, Atem..." the blond said, his expression a thoughtful one. "You know, I came here to have the 'don't hurt my friend' talk, but.... somethin' tells me that's the last thing you would ever want to do."

Atem smiled fondly at Jounouchi's familiar show of protectiveness, wistful memories fluttering through his mind's eye like a breeze. "You're right," Atem said to him. "It never even crossed my mind."

"Hm. Okay... I trust you." Jounouchi returned his smile, then pivoted on his heels to make his way back into the living room. He paused. "It's been a long time since I've seen Yuugi glowing like this," he admitted quietly over his shoulder to Atem. "Thanks for that."

When Jounouchi had left Atem alone with his thoughts, he left him in the same hallway Atem had walked down so many times before, surrounded by the same wallpaper he had seen over years and years as Yuugi's other half.

Atem felt the sudden desire to flee, to outrun the impending surge of emotions that threatened his composure.

And so, he fled - right into the kitchen where he found Yuugi plating some small appetizers for his guests.

"I hope these came out alright," Yuugi said to him when he registered Atem's presence. He was frowning at the dumplings he had set out on the large serving plate in front of him.  

Atem joined his side without hesitation, because being next to his partner soothed his inner turmoil. "I'm sure they're great, Yuugi - just like everything else you do," he murmured. 

Atem would've said more, but all the words he could've said were wiped from his mind when he felt Yuugi's warm palms on his cheeks, and his partner's lips closing over his.

His heart stopped dead, his breath was gone, but even so, if this was death, Atem would die a thousand times over. 

He could feel a warmth heating the skin of his face, but couldn't tell if it was his own or if he could simply feel the intensity of Yuugi's blush when his partner pulled away. 

Yuugi slowly dropped his hands. "I'm sorry," his partner said hurriedly. "I didn't - "

But it was Atem who cut him off this time with a kiss of his own - with the same gentle pressure as before. A caress of their lips - careful and subdued. 

And then, there was that moment, after they parted, when Yuugi smiled at him that Atem thought... that this was almost  _too easy._

Sure, it would take time, and Atem knew he would continue to suffer in silence during that time, but still, he had no doubt that Yuugi would learn to love him again.

And when he did, and Atem had proved his point to the god of the dead, he only hoped that _Anpu_ would return the memories he had taken from Yuugi (and others) for the sake of their wager. 

Atem was pulled from his reverie, his attention diverted when Yuugi suggested that they rejoin his friends.

And it was to Atem's utter delight that they both couldn't stop shooting smiles at each other for the rest of the night. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is for yesterday's prompt, but I was out and didn't have a chance to post it. all that means is that you get two chaps today. i'll put the other one up later today! thank you all for the continued comments, kudos, and support.


	9. Thunder

It was raining.

Heavier than the forecast had predicted it would.

It turned out to be quite the storm, in fact -  with striking displays of lightening, followed by trembling rolls of thunder. 

It would be Atem's luck that there wasn't an umbrella or rain jacket to be found in his tiny apartment. He had to make due with his hooded, long-sleeved sweater, but it was not nearly enough to hold up against the storm's wrath.

Quickening his steps, Atem pulled the hood closer around his face, as he ran down the several blocks towards the game shop. 

Yuugi was manning the register today, but had promised to help Atem look for some handyman work during his break. Atem was more than grateful for the assistance; he was beginning to run low on essentials and needed to secure some sort of income until he figured out his next steps. He had managed to stretch out the food in his fridge by rationing his portions, but he knew that could only sustain him for so long.

In reality, he should've made this more of a priority - but then again, how could he, when his only priority since his return had been Yuugi. 

Atem was only a street away now, but he could already feel a dampness on his skin, seeping from his sweater that was almost entirely soaked through at this point. He figured he could ask Yuugi for a towel to dry off prior to walking through the game shop and dripping water onto the tiled floors.

Once he came up on the familiar building, he rushed inside and closed the door behind him with a sigh, relieved to be out of the storm's way and back into his partner's space.  

His eyes immediately searched for Yuugi, and he realized his partner was already looking at him from the counter, a flicker of surprise in his gaze and something else Atem couldn't quite place. 

"Hey," Atem exhaled, still a bit out of breath from his mad dash. "Uh, do you have a towel? Or something else I can dry off with?"

Yuugi tilted his head, both of his brows raising. He seemed to initially stumble over whatever words were on his tongue, but eventually said, "Um, sure. One second."

Yuugi was gone for less than a minute, vanishing into the back storage room only to reappear a few moments later with a towel. He circled the counter and approached Atem, then extended the towel out towards him when he was close enough for Atem to take it.

A deep frown crawled across Atem's face when he reached for the bundle in Yuugi's grasp. He sensed very clearly a distance between them that hadn't been there before. 

"Couldn't outrun the storm, huh?" Yuugi asked him, the question distracting Atem from his internal distress. 

"No, not really," Atem said, partly sheepish. He pulled off his hood with one hand and lifted the other to pat his face dry with the towel.

A moment later, he moved on to his hair and smiled affectionately at his partner in silent thanks. He noticed Yuugi's face lighting up in response, a dusty hue at his cheeks.

"Uh, well, feel free to look around once you're dry." Yuugi took a step back, increasing the space between them again, much to Atem's dismay. "If you have any questions, let me know."

Atem felt very disorientated all of the sudden, and he only partially registered the awful twist in the pit of his stomach.

Another rumble of thunder rang through the sky.

It resounded loudly in his head.

"... what?" Atem uttered quietly. 

"About the games," Yuugi clarified, gesturing to the shelves and displays around them. He smiled at Atem with his signature customer service smile. "My name is Yuugi, by the way. Welcome to the Kame Game Shop." 


	10. Monster

_"A week!?"_

Atem stood before _Anpu_ , rigid in his indignant fury, yet burdened by his despair. He wasn't sure if he had called  _Anpu_ forth in his dreams that night, or if _Anpu_ had summoned him, but either way, he found himself standing in that familiar gray room where everything was crafted from stone and rubble.  

 _Anpu_  appeared before him this time as a creature of shadows, with glowing white eyes and black tendrils billowing from his thin silhouette. The god was seated at the very top of the backrest of his cracked throne, the shadows that had woven together and formed his legs dangling to brush against the cemented seat. Even lacking distinct facial features, Atem could sense that _Anpu_  had little interest in his apparent distress. 

Recognizing his duty to show the utmost respect to the god, Atem tried to temper his anger and push aside his pain, but it came at great cost to his psyche to try and quiet the emotions raging inside of him. 

"You can't - that's not how this works,  _tpy-ḏw.f,_ " Atem tried to explain. "In the modern world, one cannot expect to gain another's love in such a short amount of time."

"I care very little about the expectations of the modern world."

There was a hard set to Atem's jaw. His lips bled into a tight frown. "This is not fair," he spoke quietly. 

Despite those being Atem's honest feelings about the test given to him, he regretted his words instantly.

He had barely finished speaking when he felt a sudden chill prickling his skin, like needles raking over his veins. The shadow figure vanished from the elevated spot above him and morphed back into existence an inch from his face, strands of watery black flaring out in a seething display.

"The audacity of your words, Pharaoh. You, who have been nothing but a nuisance since your arrival in the _Duat_ , constantly interrupting my duties with your pitiful woes. I have given you more than any god would bother. I have reunited you with your earthly companion. I have provided you with food and shelter and clothes for your mortal body. Yet, you dare to come here and protest stipulations that you yourself accepted. It is not your place to decide what is _fair_."

Atem bowed his head. His untamed fury and his shame made his eyes burn. "I apologize,  _jmy-wt_. I did not fully understand what I was agreeing to at the time." His eyes remained trained on the floor. "But, you see, this is an impossible task you've given me. I cannot persuade Yuugi to love me in such a limited time-frame."

"The mind need not be convinced of what the heart knows." 

Atem heard the god's voice farther away from him, and he realized that the chill had left his skin. He glanced up, shoulders still rounded in a bow, and spotted _Anpu_ floating up the stone steps to his throne.

"When you came to me," _Anpu_ continued, turning to face Atem once he had reached the platform, "you said you believed your partner's soul and heart would know and love yours, no matter the circumstances. Now is your chance to prove it, god-king."

Atem straightened, hands clasped tightly behind his back. "And if I can't?" he asked the god. 

With an eerie grace, _Anpu_ lowered himself onto the seat of his throne. "You wagered your place here, so you will not be allowed to return if you fail, nor will your partner ever regain his memories," _Anpu_ explained. "Rather, you will be doomed to repeat this temporal loop, until the end of days."

 


	11. Alone

Atem spent the next day wasting the precious little time he had this week to make any notable progress with Yuugi.

And he wasted it in bed.

All day, there had been a tiny voice in the back of his head, begging him to get up with the first light of the morning, to put his game face on and give a one hundred percent effort to prove his convictions to the god he had so foolishly challenged.

But still, he couldn't move.

His limbs were heavier than stone, and he was all but paralyzed by the questions he should've asked _Anpu_ , but didn't. 

If he understood the terms of their wager, and there was still no guarantee that he did, then he essentially had one week to somehow convince Yuugi to fall in love with him.

As if the very thought wasn't burdensome enough, the consequences if he were to fail this seemingly impossible endeavor were steep. He was to be destined to live out the rest of his days with Yuugi constantly forgetting him.

He wondered then if there were truly multiple versions of this reality; whether there was one in which Yuugi lived out his life normally. Or was this it?

Was this the only single timeline? And, if so, had he inadvertently trapped his partner in this hell alongside him?

Were they both doomed to repeat this very same week in time for eternity, or would time move forward as normal? Would Yuugi stay the same, or would he continue to age week by week until he eventually passed on from this world? 

What about himself?

There were so many questions, all of which he knew would remain unanswered for now, that weighed him down onto that tiny, stiff mattress, like binds keeping him prisoner to his own worst fears.

For the first time since his return, Atem felt a sudden stab of regret. 

He just couldn't leave well enough alone.

After all he had been through, after all he had achieved...

He had finally won out against the darkness and had been able to join his family and oldest friends in paradise. Yet, still he chose to cast such wonderful feats aside for no other reason than because he was selfish. 

And now, because of that selfishness, he was alone. 

No family or friends - not even a partner who remembered his name.

With that last thought lingering in the forefront of his mind, Atem crawled further underneath his sheets and tried to hide from the world he had so desperately pleaded to return to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1] i incorporated a lot of questions you readers actually asked in the comment section following last chapter, because honestly, Atem has the same questions as you guys! temporal paradoxes are a bitch. 
> 
> 2] i promise it won't stay this angsty. this week's puzzle-june prompts are just really dark. XD
> 
> 3] this will be another two chapter day. the next week will be a bit hectic for me, so there may be a few more 2 chapter days coming up to keep up with prompts! :)


	12. Panic

Atem was not one to stay down for long. 

He had dedicated an entire day to wallow in his self-pity, but that is all he would allow himself. 

No more. 

Atem had been a king in his time; he had navigated situations arguably more dire than this, and he absolutely refused to resign himself to the fate _Anpu_ laid out before him.

So the next morning, he rose.

Then, he showered and dressed. He even took a moment to laugh humorlessly at his newly restocked fridge and toiletries - again, enough to last him about a week. 

The doubts and regrets that ate at him only yesterday were the next things he addressed, choosing to lock them away, somewhere out of his mind's reach. The only regret he had now was that he chose to spend a day away from his partner's side. He would not be willingly making that same mistake twice. 

Once outside, he walked to the game shop at an easy pace. He used the time to consider his options; his various avenues for inviting Yuugi to join him for their 'first' outing, after making a less than stellar impression the other day.

Yuugi had been receptive enough to him the previous week, so Atem figured he hadn't too much to be concerned over.

Unsurprisingly though, that knowledge did little to ease his anxiety. 

Even at his slow pace, he arrived at the game shop rather quickly, and the little bell over the door chimed with it's familiar greeting when he stepped through the threshold.

Yuugi was by a display, facing towards the door, and met his eyes instantly. 

"Oh, it's you," Yuugi breathed, and Atem swore that the other sounded almost... relieved? 

"Good morning, Yuugi," Atem began in a cordial tone. "I wanted to stop by and apologize for - " 

Yuugi waved him off, a gentle dismissal. "Whatever it is, don't worry about it," he said. "I'm just glad to see you again. I was worried - when you ran out of here the other day, you just looked so... sad." Yuugi scratched at the base of his head, a bit uncertain of his next words. "It's been bothering me a lot since then. I didn't even catch your name."

Atem had always thought that he couldn't love Yuugi anymore than he already did and yet, he somehow felt like he loved him two-fold in that moment. His partner was just so kind and considerate, worrying like this over a stranger's well-being. It touched Atem's heart, strengthening it, and the weight that had been wearing heavily on it suddenly didn't seem so heavy anymore.

"It's Atem," he said over his thoughts. 

The smile that Yuugi sent him in response was nearly blinding. "Well, Atem," he said, "I was actually thinking about closing the shop early today." As he spoke, Yuugi moved from the display to his usual spot back behind the front counter. Atem followed, taking a few steps forward until only the counter separated them. "My grandpa owns this store," Yuugi continued on, once they were re-positioned, "but he's away on a trip this week so I'm just kind of filling in here and there for him when I can."

Yuugi had told him as much last week, in regards to the elder Motou's whereabouts.

So Atem supposed that answered one question for him, at least. 

"Anyways, did you want to maybe spend some time together later today?" Yuugi asked him abruptly.

Or rather, it felt abrupt by Atem's account.  

"I..."

Atem suddenly felt a lot less like a dignified king, and a lot more like a teenager in the midst of a panic attack after being asked out for the first time. 

"You don't have to," Yuugi added hurriedly, sensing Atem's hesitation. "The other day... it looked like maybe you could use a new friend, and I thought - "

"Oh no, I really want to, sorry."

And here Atem had been hoping that he would come off more assertive and confident this time around.

He guessed not.

To be fair, Yuugi had really thrown him by being the first to initiate. He hadn't been expecting that. 

Atem coughed in the back of his throat. "I... actually came back to ask you out on a date," he admitted. 

"Oh." The fair skin of Yuugi's face tinted with a bit of color. "Looks like I beat you to it."

 _This time_ , Atem mused silently, but still, he found himself pleased with this turn of events. 

Even more so when Yuugi leaned forward on the counter, gazed up at him with a cheeky smile, and said, "So. Where did you want go today?"

 


	13. Blood

It was much like their first date from last week.

An exploration of downtown followed by time spent on the park bench overlooking the pond - the water of which always seemed to reflect in Yuugi's gaze at just the right angle, making those spheres of violet glitter something fierce.

It was with a begrudging sort of curiosity that Atem took notice of both the similarities and differences between their last encounter and this one.  

During their time in the plaza, Yuugi pointed out pretty much the same landmarks and buildings in nearly an identical order as he had done previously. His partner also still wound up buying him an ice cream cup despite Atem's insistence that he was fine.

But it was also colder this time around since, unlike last time, they'd left for their outing prior to the sun reaching its peak in the sky. Because of this, the wind blew more intensely, and the clouds were far more abundant. Atem noticed that the small difference in temperature caused Yuugi to subconsciously lean in closer to him when they walked together, drawn to his body heat.

Even the conversation, though mostly similar, varied slightly.

These variations then branched off into topics they hadn't touched on the first time around. 

In the end, the experience resulted in what felt like an imperfect replica of their first date from the previous week, as opposed to an exact copy of it. 

Even so, their date was still filled with the same, light conversation as before, which took some of the emphasis off of the much heavier, unspoken emotions in between them. 

They had only just gotten seated on the bench when Yuugi asked him where he was from.

Atem offered him a vague answer, similar to the last time this question was asked.

"That sounds really nice," Yuugi replied to him, an echo of sentiments Atem had heard before. "Hard to believe you left all that to... "

Yuugi trailed off, and Atem glanced over at his partner, his brow rising when he noticed Yuugi's bemused expression. 

"Are you okay?" Atem asked him, concerned. 

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that," Yuugi responded with a small shake of his head. "I just got the strangest sense of déjà vu."

Atem wasn't exactly sure how he was supposed to respond to that. It's not like he could come right out and say that they had gone on this very date only last week, but due to Atem's challenge with an ornery god, Yuugi had his memory wiped. _Again._  

At least, he couldn't say all that without coming off as utterly insane. 

Atem decided his best course of action was just remain silent on the matter, and he was more than grateful that Yuugi seemed oblivious to his plight. 

"Anyways," Yuugi went on, "I'm glad you're here now. I - _ow._ "

Atem nearly dropped his frozen treat when he heard the tiniest hint of distress in Yuugi's voice. 

Turning quickly to face his partner fully, Atem registered that Yuugi had the tip of his finger in his mouth, a small frown marring his otherwise flawless face. 

"What happened? Are you okay? Do you need - ?"

"Atem," Yuugi cut him off with a gentle smile, removing his index finger from his lips to examine it. "Don't worry, it's just a splinter. Got me deep though." Yuugi plucked the slither of wood from his fingertip, and a single drop of blood bubbled to the surface. 

It wasn't significant enough for anyone to consider it an injury, but still, all Atem was reminded of in that moment were the tears and blood and bruises Yuugi had endured throughout their time together - all so that he could help Atem uncover his memories and keep those that wished them and their friends harm at bay. 

The memories stung him as if he had gotten pricked himself. 

Without thinking, Atem lowered his dessert cup onto the edge of the bench and grabbed Yuugi's afflicted hand into both of his.

Though the younger man's features openly relayed his surprise, and his cheeks were now peppered with a rosy hue, Yuugi made no sign or gesture that indicated to Atem that the contact was unwelcomed. 

"I'm sorry," Atem exhaled quietly to his partner, the park noise a murmur around them.

Yuugi flashed him a small smile. "It's not like it's your fault that this bench is old," he said, unaware that Atem's apology had nothing to do with that or even with today. There was something then, very soft and very pretty, sparkling in Yuugi's eyes. "You know... you're very sweet, Atem, but you still seem... sad. I know we only just met, but I'm here if you want to talk about - "

Yuugi didn't finish his sentence, and instead fell quiet when Atem's pressed his lips against the knuckles of his hand.

The color in Yuugi's cheeks deepened.

"You are a very kind spirit, _ai_ \- Yuugi." Atem whispered the words against the skin of Yuugi's hand, before eventually letting it go. He straightened himself on the bench, readjusting to peer back out at the water. "But I think this is just something I have to figure out on my own."

Yuugi took a few seconds to recover from Atem's rather sudden display of intimacy. "Fair," his partner said once he had.

Atem could see Yuugi smiling at him then from the corner of his eye, could sense the other scoot a bit closer to him on the bench.

"Just know I'm here if you need me," Yuugi said, a tenderness in his voice. 

Atem glanced away from the water and smiled lovingly over at his stunning partner. "Always," he said. 


	14. Leather

There was not an oasis or scenery that could compare to the inner beauty of his partner. 

He was striking on the outside, of course, with kind eyes and freckles on fair skin, framed by raven curls. 

But it was his inner light that was truly breathtaking. 

There had been so many instances that week that Atem had to force himself to look elsewhere. He simply could not afford to get swept away in Yuugi's grace. He knew he needed to focus instead on making the most out of his remaining time this week. 

Despite this, he had yet to forge an actual plan. He wasn't exactly sure how he was supposed to help his partner remember him or recall the bond they shared. No words that came to mind seemed adequate, for he knew that it wasn't Yuugi's mind that needed reminding - it was his heart. 

He turned several ideas over in his head throughout the morning and, by the time that evening swung around, he found himself seated on the floor across from Yuugi in his partner's living room, playing a game he never thought he'd play again. 

"I tried to warn you beforehand," Yuugi said, shining with earned confidence. The coffee table between them was scattered with cards. They told the story of Atem's defeat. "I did say that I was pretty good at this game."

Atem gazed upon his partner with a proud smile. "I would say so," he concurred. He began to pluck the cards off the table and shuffle the deck Yuugi had lent him back into it's casing. "That was very impressive, Yuugi."

He glanced back up at his partner and noticed Yuugi's smile was gone. 

In its place was a distant look in his pearl gaze. 

"What's wrong?"

Yuugi refocused on him, but his confused expression didn't leave him. "I don't know," his partner said quietly. "I just feel... kinda sad, but I don't know why."

Atem slowly lowered the deck onto the table and watched Yuugi as the other lifted himself from the floor to settle instead on the black leather couch behind him. It was an old sofa that had been in the Motou household long enough to accrue an impressive amount of wear and tear. 

It was only after a few minutes had elapsed that Atem decided to join Yuugi on the coach, a small spark in his chest.

He had hoped to trigger some memory within Yuugi's heart by challenging him to a duel - an ode to their final moments together prior to his departure. 

The intensity of Yuugi's reaction to it, however, took him by surprise.

His partner's lips were pressing against his, before he had time to register that Yuugi had even leaned into him. 

It was different from last time. 

Whereas their previous kiss had been gentle and curious, this one was more needy, and Atem found himself immediately responding to meet that need. 

Lifting a hand, Atem wrapped his fingers around the back of Yuugi's neck and pulled him closer. Their mouths moved against each other, settling on a slow rhythm of giving and receiving. The leather underneath them shifted, as they decreased the continually shrinking space in between them.  

Atem felt his body heating at the prolonged contact, incinerating all clear thinking from his head. 

It returned to him just as quickly though when Yuugi suddenly pulled away from him. 

"Sorry," Atem instantly apologized. "I - "

"No, I liked it, a lot," Yuugi assured him, breathless. His eyes fell from Atem's. "It's just.... I'm feeling a lot of things right now, and... it's throwing me a bit. I'm sorry."

The words proved to Atem that the game he initiated had indeed stirred something within Yuugi's subconscious - something tangible and wonderful and maybe even a little terrifying. 

He had a sinking feeling though that it wasn't quite enough. 


	15. Ghost

He knew it was coming. 

He tried to put on a brave face, but even he could feel it cracking as he mingled with his old friends at Yuugi's house for the same get-together as last week. Again, there were small differences - in conversation, attire, and even the food Yuugi served, but to Atem it still all felt like a record repeating itself. 

He was reminded of his spirit days, when he watched Yuugi's life from the outside looking in. Similar feelings crept throughout his veins as he engaged in light-hearted conversation with those who would not remember him past today. His outside awareness of what was to come made him feel removed, distant - like an observer instead of a true participant. 

Yuugi must've picked up on his pain for at the end of night, when everyone else had already said their goodbyes and parted ways, Yuugi grabbed his hand, stopping him at the front door. 

"Hey," Yuugi whispered the word. There was a shyness in his voice somewhere, but his eyes glimmered with determination. "I know you said you have some things going on that you are trying to figure out on your own... but I feel like we were meant to cross paths somehow, and I'd like to help you if I can and..." Yuugi squeezed his hand. "...be a part of your life. I can tell there is something weighing heavy on your shoulders, and I don't want you to let it crush you." He leaned up then and placed a small kiss to the corner of Atem's mouth.

"Yesterday is heavy, Atem," Yuugi declared softly as he pulled away. "Put it down."

With one more squeeze of his hand, Yuugi bid him goodnight and sent Atem on his way home.

And it was because of Yuugi's words ringing in his head his entire walk back that he finally came to a decision. 

A decision to let this week go. 

And start fresh tomorrow. 


	16. Sunflower

Atem was nervous, but was still self-aware enough to find the irony in his uneasiness. 

He had handled duels where _actual_  lives had hung on his success with more grace than he was handling the idea of wooing his partner. 

He did his best to brush these insecurities under the rug for the time being. He did not want to let his nerves deter him from his goal; did not want to allow his failure thus far to dictate the week to come.

Easier said than done, he knew, but he tried his best regardless. 

Squeezing the stems in his grasp, Atem inhaled a deep breath and pushed the door to the game shop open, the usual chime announcing his arrival.

Yuugi was distracted with something at the register, but seemed to be wrapping up whatever had captured his attention with haste. Atem seized the small opportunity granted to him to approach the front counter without his partner's immediate notice.

Once close enough, he held up his offering between them.

"Welcome to the Kame - oh...." 

Atem heard Yuugi trail off his customary greeting, and he peered around the bouquet of sunflowers in his hands to see his partner's face twisted in a rather puzzled expression.

His nerves resurfaced, but he knew there was no turning back now. 

Atem soldiered on with a smile. "Hi there," he greeted good-naturedly. "My name is Atem."

Atem saw something in Yuugi's tentative gaze soften at the mention of his name. He watched on quietly, hopefully, as Yuugi glanced in between Atem and the extravagant display of butter blond petals being presented to him. 

A slow, easy smile pulled at Yuugi's lips, and Atem's heart skipped a beat.

"Hi, Atem," his partner said warmly. "I'm Yuugi."


	17. Beauty

Atem could've spent his entire life basking in Yuugi's light, in his radiance - if only the consequences of his wager with _Anpu_  didn't linger in the back of his mind like a shadow, desperate to taint and ruin all it could.  

Still, he appreciated the moments such as this one, where he could revel in his partner's warmth and beauty on such a peaceful afternoon. 

"Have we met before?"

Atem blinked, startled out of his reverie. Only then did he notice that his partner was watching him with a rather inquisitive gaze.

They currently sat side by side on the bench outside the game shop, Atem having brought Yuugi a cup of coffee during his midday break. 

Their conversation up till then had been casual and friendly, so the serious intonation layering Yuugi's question threw him off guard. 

In lieu of an actual response, Atem instead mumbled a noncommittal, "Hm?"

"The way you look at me," Yuugi began to clarify, though even he sounded uncertain. "It makes me feel like... this isn't one of your first times doing so. You look at me like... "

 _Like you're all I ever see,_ Atem's mind supplied.

But whereas Atem knew the answer readily, Yuugi seemed to struggle with putting it all into words. 

Atem saved him from attempting to do so.

"Sorry," Atem started to say. "I don't mean -" 

"No, it's not... a bad thing," Yuugi reassured. He smiled kindly at him. "I was just curious if we've crossed paths before. Forget I said anything," he muttered with a dismissive wave. "Anyways, I was hoping you'd let me show you around tomorrow. It's the least I can do to thank you for those beautiful flowers." He laughed a bit. "I didn't realize I still had any fans out there from my dueling days."

"Yeah..." Atem shrugged loose shoulders. "I always looked up to you, you know," he said, more honesty in his words than Yuugi could ever realize. 

"You're sweet to say that." Yuugi sipped at his coffee, then he lifted a brow at Atem. "So, for tomorrow, I was thinking maybe we could go to the plaza downtown. What do you say?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1] gah, all caught up now after a crazy week. thank you all for the continued comments, kudos, and support. I may not always respond to each one when things get really busy, but rest assured, I read them all and they make me so happy!


	18. Bonded

Yuugi was quieter this time - lacking some of his typical exuberance as he pointed out his favorite parts of the plaza. His voice remained kind and sweet when he explained the historical significance of some of the more imposing landmarks and buildings around them, but even then, there was a pensive gleam in his eyes that made him appear almost distracted. 

When they finally got around to their usual park bench, and Yuugi made no sign of excusing himself to get them ice cream like he had done the two times previously, Atem knew something was wrong. 

"Hey," Atem said to him. "Is everything okay? You seem off."

Yuugi appeared to consider his answer with much more care than Atem had expected, the younger man's gaze glued to the pond in front of them as he thought over his response. Atem took note of the small purse of his partner's lips. 

"How would you know?" Yuugi inquired. 

There was no hostility to be found in his question. Yuugi had posed it with nothing other than genuine curiosity. 

Still, Atem wasn't sure how to respond. "I'm sorry?" 

Yuugi slid his gaze to him. "You may have been a fan, but you still shouldn't know me well enough to think that I'm acting any differently than how I normally do."

Again, the words weren't laced with a harshness. Yuugi had phrased his response like he was simply stating a fact.

"Sorry," Atem said, an embarrassed heat coloring his cheeks. "I shouldn't have presumed."

"Hmm. It's okay." Yuugi's unreadable gaze had yet to break from his. "I just... hey, can I try something?"

Atem blinked wearily - not out of distrust for his partner, but out of confusion. "Uh, sure?" he acquiesced. 

Yuugi did not react right away after receiving his approval. Instead, it felt as though a full minute had passed, before his partner turned to face him fully on the bench, his eyes searching Atem's. 

And then Yuugi was lifting his hand, and Atem froze when he felt hesitant fingers at his jaw.

It was Yuugi's lips that touched his next, precarious in nature, but there was also a hint of determination to be found behind the press of his partner's mouth. 

Atem could feel the violent stammer of his heart against his chest, could feel his side of the bond that would outlast all other bonds swell at the feel of Yuugi's lips tracing over his. 

He didn't have much time to respond to his partner's advances, however, because by the time he had processed what was happening, Yuugi was pulling away from him.

Yuugi seemed displeased, not with the kiss, but with whatever answer he'd hoping the intimate contact would provide him with. 

"Sorry, I know that probably felt sudden," Yuugi admitted after a brief stretch of silence. "I just... I'm trying to figure something out."

Atem steadied his heart, before asking, "Figure what out?"

Yuugi hesitated for only a moment. "I wanted to see... to try to remember if I've kissed you before," he replied. 

"Yuugi," Atem felt his lead weight in his stomach all of the sudden, and it felt like panic. "I - "

"I don't know exactly what's going on," Yuugi interrupted him, though not unkindly, "but... you're not being completely honest with me."

Yuugi rose from the bench, but his gaze still hadn't left Atem. He stood in front of the seated man and continued to study him in silence - his face, his eyes... 

After another quiet moment elapsed between them, Yuugi reached out and traced his fingers over the curve of Atem's cheek.

Atem barely resisted the urge to lean into his touch.

"The next time you stop by the shop," Yuugi said, his voice much quieter now, as if they were exchanging a secret, "I'm expecting you to tell me the truth." 

With one last lingering look, Yuugi left him on the bench, allowing Atem the time he needed to climb out of his shocked state.

Even once he had though, his thoughts were a whirlwind and kept him seated, if only so he would not stumble over them.

He should've been happy to see that a part of Yuugi was starting to remember bits and pieces of the weeks prior - it had seemed that their consistent interactions and physical contact were triggering latent memories, which again, Atem should've taken as a good sign. 

But he didn't - for it was clear that whatever memories were being invoked within Yuugi's mind were vague and unclear and, because of that, Yuugi was skeptical of him and of how to proceed. 

Suspicion hardly translated into love, Atem knew. 

Atem sat back against the bench with a bottomless exhale.

He felt a reckoning approaching fast.

After all, how was he supposed to explain to Yuugi his dealings with _Anpu_ and the wager he had placed on them both? And more importantly, how would his partner, who barely remembered him, react when he did? 


	19. Laughter

Even in the midst of what felt like a battle for his soul with only a single, unsuspecting soldier to fight alongside him, Atem still found moments of unrivaled happiness in the occasional, fleeting memory - such as that night, so many moons ago, when he stood in the middle of his partner's room, and Yuugi offered him his memories because Atem didn't have any of his own. He remembered, too, all the times they dueled side by side, and all the times they were victorious over their various adversaries.

Even in this temporal loop, Atem found joy in Yuugi's smiles, in his airy laugh and warm conversation, in his openness, his eyes, and in the familiar shape of his soul hovering so close to his. He found bliss as well, in the quiet moments, the peaceful lulls in dialogue between them, where neither of them felt compelled to speak - a residual component of their bond, he was sure, from their former lives together when words weren't needed to communicate, because their hearts understood each other just fine without them. 

There was so much good still, even in this purgatory he had found himself waking up in everyday - so much kindness and grace and glory in Yuugi's touch and in the way they moved together as one, despite his partner lacking the distinct memories of their past. 

Atem advised himself to not lose sight of that good, of Yuugi's sweet heart and his laugh that reminded Atem of stars in a dark sky, glittering and enduring and timeless. 

He spent the entire way to Yuugi's house engraving all of these thoughts and feelings inside of his heart and so, by the time he had arrived at his partner's doorstep, he was sure that none of it could ever be forgotten. 

Atem knew that he shouldn't have come here this late, but he had spent the whole day dragging his feet, delaying the encounter to come, and had lost track of time. Even after hours of agonizing over it all, he still had no idea what he was going to say, he had no lines rehearsed, and everything that he did come up with didn't sound convincing at all. 

So there he stood, knocking at the front door, with nothing prepared. 

Yuugi appeared at the door about a minute later, looking every bit of beautiful with tired tousles in his hair and loose-fitting pajamas hanging from the curves and edges of his frame. 

There was a soundless moment between them then, when Atem thought that Yuugi would send him away and tell him to come back tomorrow at a decent time, because what kind of person shows up at someone's door at 11:00pm after only a few days of knowing them?

To his surprise though, Yuugi didn't send him away. 

He just inclined his chin, a silent question in his gaze...

... and then, he stood aside and gestured for Atem to come in. 

And it was as Atem stepped through the threshold of Yuugi's home that a lone thought crossed his mind.

_He should've come prepared._

 

 


	20. Heartbeat

Atem stood in the threshold of Yuugi's bedroom with a frown set neatly on his face, his hip protruding so that he could rest his full weight against the door frame. 

Yuugi had offered him a spot at the desk, but Atem couldn't find it within himself to sit down in that very same chair he had so many times before, back when he was a nameless spirit; back when he'd spent night after night watching over his partner as he slept, vowing to keep him safe from harm.

But now Atem was at a loss, because how was he supposed to protect his partner when he was the source of the trouble?

Yuugi had been so very patient with him at first, easy and soft-spoken. He'd wanted Atem to speak openly and honestly with him, and Yuugi was doing his best to create a safe space for the elder to do so. However, despite his partner's best efforts, Atem still struggled to find the right words to say, overwhelmed as he was amidst the memories that threatened to resurface - that being back in his partner's room had invoked.

When encouraging words didn't seem to help coax Atem into an open dialogue, Yuugi changed tactics.

Atem watched silently as his partner rose from his bed and decreased the space between them; watched on with a weary, pained expression as his partner approached him and tipped forward to kiss him tenderly.

Even though he considered himself undeserving, the ex-Pharaoh allowed himself the brief reprieve from his inner conflict, as Yuugi peppered his jaw and corner of his mouth with butterfly kisses.

Atem responded with equal care and muffled sounds, pressing his lips to Yuugi's, like his partner was delicate and priceless and worthy of so much more than Atem could ever give him. 

He wanted to wrap his arms around Yuugi, the treasure he had spent so long seeking, and ignore the fact that in only a few days time, this would most likely all be for naught. 

He couldn't ignore it though - the knowledge lingered, and Atem couldn't quite come to terms with it, so he did something he never imagined doing. 

He pushed his partner away.

Lightly, of course, with just a press of his hands against Yuugi's shoulders - but the action of pushing his partner away from him was like a knife to his heart and a twist for good measure. 

Yuugi let himself be moved aside with ease. "What is it?" he said quietly, questioning. "Do you not want me - " 

Atem felt a flare inside of his chest, but it wasn't one born of anger. "Don't you ever think that I don't - "

"Then what is it?" Yuugi stood a little taller now, his voice more strained than before. "Atem, I need you to tell me _what's going on_ ," he stressed, exasperated, "because supposedly we've only known each other for a few days, but you... you kiss me like I'm the only person in this entire world that matters."

Atem turned away from his partner's imploring gaze, his own eyes shutting tight to shield his grief. He felt betrayed when a lone tear escaped and wet his cheek.

"You _are,_ " Atem confessed under his breath. 

Still, it was loud enough in the silence of the room for Yuugi to hear him, and whatever his partner had been using to fuel his burning questions left him at once. 

Atem felt gentle hands touch his face, thumbs swiping over his cheeks. 

"Okay. It's okay." Atem opened his eyes halfway to see Yuugi's worried expression. "I'm sorry," his partner continued to say. "I'm just... frustrated because I feel like I'm in the dark about something really important. But I can see that whatever it is, it's hurting you, and I don't want that." Yuugi gestured to the futon to the right of them - a newer addition to the layout of Yuugi's room - with a small nod of his head. "Come sit with me, Atem." 

And Atem didn't hesitate this time to do as his partner asked, because he felt as though it was the least he could do in that moment.

Atem lowered himself to the gray futon first, and Yuugi followed him shortly after. To his dismay, there was nothing really to stare at on the opposite wall - only a few old posters taped to the old paint, some that Atem recognized, some that he didn't.

He was very much relieved when, after a few minutes of silence, his partner took the reigns.

"Do we know each other?" Yuugi asked him quietly. "From before...?"

Atem stared at the poster that fell dead center to all the rest. "Yes," he said.  

There was a pause. "Did you love me?"

Atem slid his eyes from the poster to settle on his partner's expectant gaze. "I've never stopped loving you, _aibou_ ," he murmured into the small space between them. 

"Partner...?" Yuugi hummed, appearing a bit lost to his own thoughts now. He allowed another silence to blanket over them. 

Atem sighed in the brief stillness that followed, leaning against the back of the futon and allowing his gaze to wander over the room, in search again for a moment of peace.

He jumped a little, a flutter of his heart, when he felt Yuugi readjust too, because instead of moving to rest against the futon, Yuugi had positioned himself to rest his head on Atem's chest. 

Atem raised a single hand, hesitating, hovering. 

Then, he let it fall to run his fingers through the raven curls of Yuugi's hair.

He heard Yuugi hum again, the sound vibrating against his chest. "Your heartbeat," Yuugi spoke in hushed tones still. "It makes me... happy." His partner inhaled a deep breath, before continuing, "Did I love you, too?" 

The question cut Atem deep, but only because he knew the answer with absolute certainty. "Yes," he exhaled.  

The lack of hesitation in Atem's answer caused Yuugi to lift his head, inclining his chin so that he could meet Atem's eyes directly now. "Can you tell me what's going on?" he asked, and there was a plea to it. 

Not breaking from his partner's gaze, Atem whispered, "If I tell you... you'll just forget."

Yuugi lifted his round shoulders in a loose shrug. "What do you have to lose then?" he asked. 

It was a good point, Atem knew, but still he was reluctant. "I wouldn't even know where to begin," he told him. 

It was a tiny smile, but a heart-stopping one, that Yuugi offered him in response. "How about from the beginning?"

"From the beginning," Atem repeated, considering the suggestion. He wasn't convinced that was the best place to start, but then again, what did he know, except that Yuugi was folded up at his side, still smiling at him, still breathing his air, and just simply existing.

Atem knew, in that moment, that he would've done anything Yuugi asked him to. "Well, in the beginning," Atem started, his fingers still laced in Yuugi's dark hair, "there was only darkness and you..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1] I'm a bit behind on my prompts, I just got back from my trip yesterday and the time zone change is really messing with my brain, i've just kinda been sleeping the past day haha. my goal is the catch back up tomorrow, so expect a few chapters then.


	21. Lace

Atem slept over that night - on the same futon he had confessed to his partner the complicated history of their past and the even more complex nature of the present.

Like all the other times he had been in this room, Atem hardly slept. He much preferred to watch over his partner than rest himself, and he hoped that his presence was enough to keep any dark thoughts from infiltrating Yuugi's dreams. 

He must've fallen asleep at some point, however, because when he woke up the next morning, he was alone, and Yuugi was missing from his bed. 

It hadn't taken him long to find his partner downstairs in the kitchen. From what Atem could gather, Yuugi was putting his final touches on a hearty breakfast and was distracted enough at the stove that he didn't notice Atem's presence right away.

Atem took advantage of that moment, unseen in the threshold of the kitchen, to consider everything that had transpired between them over the last twelve hours. Though he truly believed that their connection was able to sustain itself through such strained trials, there was something so utterly delicate about their bond at that moment that Atem feared what would happen to it if one was to add any additional weight. He had declared their bond an unbreakable one, but as he stood across from his partner in the kitchen, it felt like they were only being held together by lace and strings. 

"Hey." Yuugi greeted him with a small smile, having spotted Atem lingering in the doorway. He gestured to the two plates set out on the circular kitchen table. "I made us some breakfast. You hungry?"

Atem wasn't, but he still would have eaten everything in the kitchen if Yuugi so wished it. 

He settled at the table with a quiet thanks, and Yuugi joined him after filling their plates. His partner, so kind and compassionate, tried his best attempt at small talk, but Atem could sense the heaviness between them. It was to be expected, he supposed, after all that Atem had divulged and all that Yuugi had been forced to process the night before. Still, the sudden distance between them pained him, and Atem wanted nothing else in that moment than to take it all back - to dismiss his words last night as a bad joke and pretend that he didn't mean any of it.

But before he could put serious thought behind doing so, Yuugi spoke - and his words instantly seized Atem's complete attention. 

"How could I let you go?"

The shimmer in Yuugi's eyes was enough to show Atem that his question was an earnest one.

Atem slowly lowered his fork down to his plate. "What do you mean?"

"If... if everything you told me last night is true," Yuugi clarified gently, "then I don't understand how I could've just let you walk away after our duel. Why wouldn't I try to fight for you to stay?"

Atem felt a glass bubble of shame, unable to be compressed, settle in the pit of his stomach. "You let me go for the same reason that I left you behind," Atem explained quietly. "At the time, it seemed like the right thing to do."

Yuugi glanced down at his cooling eggs, a pensive frown on his face. A silent minute passed and, when he looked back up at Atem, his expression was one of resolve. "I want to help you," he declared. "I don't know much, but if what you're saying is true, then I do know that we need to do this together." Yuugi considered a thought, then shrugged. "And if you're lying to me, well then, I'll know on Sunday when this loop is supposedly meant to restart that you're just a really attractive, crazy person."

Atem snorted despite himself, and Yuugi's eyes shined, his mood lifting along with the heavy atmosphere.  

Atem paused. Then, "What do you suggest, partner?"

Yuugi flushed a bit at the term of endearment, but honestly didn't seem to mind it. "I think you need to tell me all of this from the start - the whole truth."

Atem's gaze fell to his plate. He shook his head. "I'd sound like an absolute lunatic if I just approached you with all of this on the first day."

"Yeah, you would," Yuugi agreed, and Atem raised a brow at him, unconvinced. "But at the same time, I think there's a part of me that knows I should hear you out... that what you have to say is important. It'll be a lot to take in, sure, and I can't guarantee how I'll react to it at first. But I think... I think you need to trust me."

Atem considered this, though it did not take him long to acquiesce, if only due to one simple truth.

"There is no one I trust more in this world than you, Yuugi." 


	22. Gold

They spent the last day of that week at the park.

In the past, Yuugi had chosen to host their friends on this day and introduce Atem to his close circle of companions. This time, however, Yuugi opted to postpone this particular get-together for the sake of spending as much quality time with Atem as possible before the next loop was set to begin.

Their gray sweaters kept them warm from the chill brought about by the setting sun, as did their body heat from the minimal space they allowed between them.

After they indulged in an impromptu picnic, Yuugi straightened out the large blanket he had brought with them, so that they could both lie down next to each other. 

When the day had finally progressed to night, they took turns pointing out the different shapes created by the abrupt onslaught of stars. 

"What you did for me...," Yuugi said suddenly, his gaze still glued to the darkened sky, "only for me not to remember you." His partner turned to him then and, even without moving to meet his gaze, Atem could feel a deep sadness radiating off his other half. "This must be so hard for you," Yuugi finished quietly. 

That was an understatement, they both knew, but Atem could also not blame Yuugi for being at a loss for words given the complexity and sheer disbelieving nature of their predicament.

"It's hell," Atem admitted, his voice a whisper, as to not interrupt to stillness around them. 

Atem could feel Yuugi's gaze lingering on the side of his face, as well as the shift of the fabric beneath them when his partner turned on his side to fully face him. The imploring undertone of Yuugi's following request was enough to force Atem to meet Yuugi's gaze.

He noticed only then that his partner's eyelashes were wet. 

"No matter how hard it gets, don't... don't give up on me," Yuugi breathed out. "I'm trying so hard to remember you, and I just - "

Atem took one of Yuugi's hands in his, kissed his palm, and then pressed it against his chest, over his heart. "I could never give up on you - never, Yuugi. Know that you are worth more to me than any paradise, any promise of peace, and any amount of gold. I will do this a thousand times if that's what it takes."

Atem had barely finished speaking, before Yuugi had kissed him - tender, but with a firmness; with a desperate desire to remember what they meant to each other.

Still, Atem could sense the subdued acceptance, from both himself and his partner - the realization that their time was running out. 

Atem blinked away his own sorrow and returned Yuugi's kiss, though the intimate contact was short-lived.  

Parting from Atem with his eyes closed and a drawn-out exhale, Yuugi readjusted himself so that he could rest his head on Atem's shoulder. He returned his gaze to the stars. "I hope... I hope you're telling the truth," Yuugi admitted softly to him, "because I can't imagine a life more worth living, than one full of the kind of love you've described."

Atem did not trust himself to respond in any coherent way to Yuugi's sweet words, so instead, he wrapped his arms around Yuugi's frame, over his waist... and just breathed him in.


	23. Pajamas

It shouldn't have hurt Atem as much as it did when Yuugi didn't remember him the next day. 

He had spent the entire night after dropping Yuugi off at his home bracing for this eventuality, but still, when his partner introduced himself in that same chipper, customer service voice, it was like someone was inserting a blade into a wound that was just on the cusp of healing. 

He couldn't even find the energy to dress himself properly when he had awoken to what he was sure would be a brutal day, and so he had showed up at the game shop in nothing but a worn-out pair of pajama pants and loose-fitting top.

Despite the positive steps forward he had taken with Yuugi over the course of the last week, Atem couldn't help but feel like he was running in circles. It made him wonder if the progress he seemed to be making with Yuugi each week would ever be enough to truly satisfy _Anpu_. 

In the back of Atem's mind, he registered an adorable quirk of Yuugi's eyebrow directed at him and realized that his partner had been waiting for an answer. 

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

Atem had the grace to look embarrassed about his inattention, but Yuugi seemed unfazed by it. 

"I asked you if we've met somewhere before," Yuugi repeated, a curious tilt to his head. The gold strands of his bangs framed the violet irises of his inquisitive gaze, and Atem found himself distracted again, though this time, by his partner's splendor. "You seem familiar," Yuugi added as an afterthought. 

Even up to this moment, Atem wasn't entirely convinced that telling Yuugi the entire truth as he stood across from him at the counter as a complete stranger the best way to win him over... but then again, he had failed in every other approach thus far, and like Yuugi had reminded him only a few nights prior - what did he have to lose?

Besides...

He trusted Yuugi. 

"Yes," Atem informed his partner. "We have."

 

 


End file.
